The music industry has never been prone to long, extended careers. For every star like Madonna or The Rolling Stones, there are at least 10 one-hit wonders, such as the Baja Men, Lou Bega or Vanilla Ice. Their singles may live on, but their careers only do so as obscure pop culture trivia answers.
After over forty years in the cutthroat industry, however, 70-year-old Dan Hicks continues to thrive. Much of his success is thanks to his unique brand of music, which Hicks – along with his band, the Hot Licks – is bringing to Turner Hall Ballroom tonight.
Hicks’ music is a combination of twangy Western folk, jazz, pop, bluegrass and often humorous lyrics. He simply calls it swing.
“Swing is a kind of jazz, and I like to think that’s the most influential (genre) for me,” Hicks said. “If a cabdriver were to just ask me what kind of music we play, I’d say from the backseat, swing.”
His long-lasting passion for music began back in junior high with a love for jazz. He started to play drums in the school band, which inevitably led the California native toward joining other bands. It was also during this time when he began to learn some of the instruments he is known for today.
“I was kind of a jazzer and then I picked up a folk guitar and got that going somehow,” Hicks said. “I was a big fan partly because I could do some of it myself, learn some tunes and get some gigs.”
After a few years, Hicks banded together with some other musicians to create his current band, the Hot Licks. The Licks have gone through several changes over their four decades of existence, but Hicks still finds himself comfortable on stage with the group, making music.
“I’ve played with a bunch of different people, and the new people become not so new after a while,” Hicks said. “The two girls singing with me now have been with me probably longer than the original Hot Licks lasted.”
In addition to the Hot Licks, the jazz/folk legend has recorded and worked with several other famous artists, including Jimmy Buffett, Willie Nelson and Bette Midler. According to Hicks, each performer and recording experience is different. Sometimes, as in the case of Bette Midler, they can be “a little pushy,” and other times, the collaborators never even see each other.
“I’ve never even met Willie,” Hicks explained. “That was all done with a sent MP3 or something, whatever that was.”
Clearly, Hicks hasn’t jumped on every technological and modern fad. Though he has a website and speaks highly of new recording technology, Hicks admits that he himself doesn’t own a computer.
“I guess I like to do stuff the old-fashioned way, like telephone calls and putting stuff in the mail,” Hicks said.
While other artists have jumped on new media to gain audiences and fame, Hicks has managed to find niche success without having to jump through pop cultural hoops. In many cases, according to Hicks, that’s actually been a benefit.
“I’m kind of in my own space. I’m not exactly out there in the competitive world,” Hicks said. “Trends don’t really affect me too much. It’s a constant thing; there aren’t a lot of ups and downs, like being on Leno one week and next week, no one’s heard of us.”
After forty years of success in a fierce industry, it appears Dan Hicks’ laidback persona and strategies have paid off for him and his listeners.